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Tuesday, April 30, 2013

And
then it was April 30, 2013; twenty-six letters deep. The peak of the A
to Z Challenge, and a personal writing achievement for me! I just
finished up my “Y” post about 15 minutes to Midnight, and while I have
the whole day to work on “Z”, I’m still up and thought I would try to
knock it out early. Who needs sleep anyway, am I right?

According to everyone else: This guy!

But
to hell with that! I am ecstatic that I made it the through the entire
challenge, and most topics being on the fly. I was a little worried
there towards the middle, as I had to change topics out of the blue,
being I wouldn’t have enough time to fully articulate what I wanted. Now
I can get to those post entries on a more relaxed deadline.

Monday, April 29, 2013

“Y”
was a bit of a challenge for me, for some reason. So this may be a bit
different compared to my other, more direct, entries. The topic is “You”
for this letter of the challenge. “You” not you. I don’t know you
well enough to talk about the lot of ya. I’ll be talking about some
various topics, each highlighted by a heading incorporating “You” used
in a phrase I’ve recently used.

Sounds
odd, but I’ve seen some odd “cheats” used during the A to Z Challenge,
so I feel like this isn’t exactly breaking the mold.

Saturday, April 27, 2013

I’m
sure the title alone has made some of my readers scurry away (we may
see you at “Y”). Gaming is not everyone’s cup of tea. It is, however,
mine. I not only love gaming of all sorts (board/card/video), but I’m
pretty good at them too; some more than others (mainly shooters).

I
thought I would share some of my favorite games for my preferred system
of choice: Xbox (technically Xbox 360 now). A long time Nintendo
fanboy, and supporter of Sony’s Playstation 1 & 2, I was eventually
assimilated by the “corrupt” empire known as Microsoft.

Friday, April 26, 2013

Spring
finally decided to show itself! How nice of it to show up and grace us
with a little warmth in the sun. It’s great walking weather outside
right now, but have yet to do so. Maybe at some point this weekend;
Sunday being the most likely.

This
Winter I joined a gym — Planet Fitness, the non-judgmental judgmental
fitness center! — and at first I lollygagged. My motivation to start
exercising was definitely lacking. I wanted to do it, though. Wanted to
start a healthier lifestyle. For $10 a month (and a $1 start up fee at
the time) you can’t go wrong. Everywhere else I looked was easily 4-5x
that amount. That monthly fee was one of the leading factors in avoiding
the gym. Plus this gym was 24/7, which is a huge bonus for me. I am
always up at all random times of the night.

Thursday, April 25, 2013

Not
to overuse a theme, but the other day I was cleaning through my
closet and came across some emails I wrote describing a handful of the
incidents described in HAUNTINGS and PARANORMAL PARANOIA. I won’t repeat a lot of the same information, but I found it
interesting to see where my memory lapsed after so many years.

Wednesday, April 24, 2013

I’ve
spoken about this topic briefly in my first posts when I began
blogging. I wasn’t the type of underachiever that would cause a scene in
class (with exception of Spanish class) and be disruptive. The “bad
boy” (that would be hilarious) who skipped class, smoked in the
bathroom, and got into fights (though, those were — are — the type of
guys a lot of women seem to swoon over; I blame Hollywood lol). I didn’t
throw aside my homework and get terrible grades.

I
did, however, try to do the bare minimum that I could. I never found
school particularly hard, just boring. It didn’t help that I grew up in a
small town with a graduating class under 100 people, where the lack of
fun, creative classes was rampant. Art, Photography,
Music, were classes many picked partially due to their ease. Some
considered them slacker classes.

Tuesday, April 23, 2013

Once
again, I deviate from the planned path after a new random idea comes to
me. I was going to share a handful of trailers for movies I’m looking
forward to this year. I am a movie trailer buff afterall!

Instead,
I thought I would share some information I learned about a piece of art
I’ve had for some time now. One that has always, for inexplicable
reasons, drawn me to it. I will randomly think about it and become
curious of its origins. Preferring not to have anything on my walls —
they have been bare white for almost seven years (minus the posters and
bats placed up for my ex’s son) — this is one piece I wouldn’t object to
placing up. I’ve no real idea why I haven’t ever done so.

Monday, April 22, 2013

Lately
I’ve been writing about some of my encounters with ghosts, haunted
houses, and/or just creepy places (and situations) in general. Then I
read about some rather elaborate pranks/lies some fellow bloggers have
endured from family and friends. It reminded me of a time I blended both
of these elements together.

Having
grown up with three brothers, sometimes the sibling rivalry ran deep.
What better way to pass the time than to argue, wrestle, and scare the
hell out of one another? What was my mother thinking having four boys?
The odds were definitely not in her favor.

Saturday, April 20, 2013

I’ve
sat here, once again, attempting to think what exactly to write. As I
was shoveling for 4 hours last Thursday, when Mother Nature decided to
dump another load of snow, I came up with what I Recall being a great idea for today's post. If you Remember,
I’ve been having this issue consistently throughout April. I tell
myself to write it down each time, but then convince myself that I won’t
forget. Then, low and behold, I forget.

This
inability to remember things has becoming quite problematic. Most of those
memories are from my childhood. I still have the ability to remember
major current/Recent
events just fine, but it's the little things that get lost. Did I lock
the door? Did I put the gas cap back on? Did I already take my vitamin
today?

Friday, April 19, 2013

I
thought I would take a relaxing moment and share some quotes. I’ve been
up all night listening to developments in Boston, and it is depressing,
exhausting but yet addicting. I need to tune out for a bit (I say as I
have multiple live feeds and threads open on the incident). Some friends
following along are in the same boat, but at least — unlike them — I
got some sleep. It’s worth noting, though, I spent 4+ hours shoveling
snow throughout the night.

I
am a huge movie buff, so it is very common to find me quoting some of
my favorite movie lines. I do the same from books and songs, but not as
frequent. I’d like to think I am decent at creating my own phrases/words
that eventually get used by those exposed to them; integrated into
their daily dialog, sneaking in unexpectedly.

Thursday, April 18, 2013

T-minus
3 hours and counting. I best get this down while the gettin’ is good.
As I type, Winter has decided it isn’t finished toying with me yet. The
snow is keeping me from Best Buy and my friends, but I won’t let it stop
me from writing! When part of your job descriptions includes tending to
the property, Winter becomes a very sketchy season (leaving me homebound often). At least the shoveling is a good workout.

Working
out is what this post was originally meant to be about, but I think I
will touch on that later. I was thinking of my post HAUNTINGS the other night, and thought it sucked I didn’t have time to
add another story. So, I thought this would be a good spot to interject
it.

Tuesday, April 16, 2013

Childhood.
I always remembered the phrase: “as a kid you always want to grow up,
but when you do you wish you could be a kid again.” Okay, I’m not
completely certain that is exact, but you know what I’m talking about.

Sometimes
kids try to grow up too fast. I think some don’t get to fully
experience being young, whether by choice or forced (forced makes me
think of those children beauty pageants that make me incredibly sick to
my stomach). They can’t wait to have this profession or that (usually a
cowboy or princess), can’t wait to drive, can’t wait to have a family;
the aspirations changing through the years.

Saturday, April 13, 2013

All
week I’ve been excited about “L” so that I could talk about LEGOS. It
seems strange, but considering they were among my favorite toys during
my childhood — along side my army men and G.I. Joes — it felt fitting. I
wouldn’t have been able to promise anything in depth. Though after my
random stream-of-consciousness-esque post for “K”
yesterday, I imagine it best not to delve too deep into my crazed mind today.

I
wanted another short entry. I’ve lots of catching up to do, since
falling behind on blogs I follow. I sat here and I just couldn’t think
of anything. It's only 7pm — no big deal, right? — but I’ve disliked
how close I’ve come to almost missing the daily deadline. Not that there
are any repercussions or that anyone would care; except me. I
would know, and I would undoubtedly care.

Sitting here, in contemplation, I’ve been struck by the overbearing feeling of being lost...

Friday, April 12, 2013

Sometimes
it feels like I have no control over the path I am taking. I am but a
passenger. If I struggle, go against the flow, I am met with turbulence.
Dramatic eruptions spin me out of my element, and I am initially
powerless against the impact. Bombarded, I endure the assault until I
learn how to let go; learn I am choosing this. To eventually embrace the
calm and once again fall back into the stream. Wrapping myself in the
warmth and comfort of not familiarity, but acceptance and understanding.

If
I were a kite I could go against the grain. Head held high and soaring
to new heights, with a constant surge and birds-eye view. Should the
gusty source falter or confidence dip, the plummeting to rock bottom is
sealed; no hope for a grip. I love kites, but I never fly them because I
think of Benjamin Franklin. From a simple storm comes such a great
lesson

During
Inception I had a full bladder. I kept thinking “How many damn levels
are in this multi-tiered dreaming ladder?” And why the hell was there so
much rain? Not just in blips, but excruciatingly prolonged slow-motion,
screwing with my brain. Finally the end was near, the end to my strife!
No wait — Level Five? — fuck my fucken life!

I’ve
always wanted to be a private detective. I only wore the fedora twice,
because I couldn’t get a case. Was it my stance, lack of motivation, or
that I move at a slow pace? Getting in shape was the key. I could talk
about how I bought kale a few times. But I didn’t eat it, I just put in
the freezer. I didn’t know what to do with it — I just knew it was
healthy.

Grey is a color, one that I adore. The Grey has wolves and in my subconscious opened a door.

My
thoughts swim, and glide, and dance, and collide. It can be hard to
focus on just one at a time. They want to merge and blend, yet remain
independent. Just when I think I have something that makes sense, I open
my mouth and in return I receive stares.

I advise that when Jak-speak is involved it’s best to not ask questions. Some students learn fast, other take their time.

Thursday, April 11, 2013

There
are so many “J” choices to choose from. Like... Just (one I’ve seen
many people picking)... Oh! Fun fact: “Just” is the one word I misspell
the most over any other. It always comes out “jsut” for some reason. The
faster I am attempting to type the more that poor word is butchered.
Hmm... there is Jello. Used to love it, but now rarely eat it unless my
grandmother makes it. So many... Hmm... I shouldn’t be struggling.
Jumbo... makes me think of Crooks.

With
so many choices, I suppose this could be viewed as taking the easy way
out. That’s because this post will be about me, but honestly, not
completely exactly...

Tuesday, April 9, 2013

If there's one thing that can suck up a chunk of my time it's my passion for
researching paranormal activity and/or unsolved murders. These obsessive
studies come in waves, but once something has struck my interest I
become very consumed. I can spend many endless nights attempting to
garnish whatever information I can from an incident. From Wikipedia, to
articles, to documentaries, to discussions/debates on said topics.

There
are many unsolved murder cases that intrigue me; Jack the Ripper, Black
Dhalia, and even missing persons cases like Jacob Wetterling. As for
hauntings, well there are far too many to list. If I actually had cable
and watched TV from home, I’d likely be watching a constant stream of
paranormal shows/documentaries. I love almost all of them, though there
are some exceptions.

Monday, April 8, 2013

After
determining I would stop blogging, I began to to think of some of the
topics I had planned that I’d never write about. Some I find important,
others just fun and random. Then I began to think about what my
grandmother would say when she found out I quit. She has been my number
one supporter and fan. She is technologically challenged, so I read my latest
blog entries to her when I visit on Mondays.

Over
the last few months she has come to look forward to the interaction
and, to be honest, so have I. I may not live in her basement like the
stereotypical Grandma's Boy — the space is actually occupied by another — but
there is no doubt that I am a Grandma’s Boy. The thought of her
reaction doesn’t sit well with me. She would be very understanding, but
yet... not.

Friday, April 5, 2013

On
top of Camp NaNoWriMo and the A to Z Challenge, it is also National
Poetry Month. While I’m sure there are a handful of other events taking place, these three have been the most prominent for me. So far the A to Z Challenge is chugging along, but I’ve not yet
dabbled in Camp NaNoWriMo; my meager 10k word goal.

As
for poetry? Not my cup of tea. However, my blog meanderings have left
me inspired to partake in some. While I know deep inside this is a
terrible, terrible idea — on par with skydiving without a parachute — I
just can’t seem to help myself.

Thursday, April 4, 2013

Demon
lore, and the fascination surrounding it, has existed for centuries and
spans across multiple — if not all — cultures; each having their own
take on the subject. I’ve never studied demonology, short of some online
meanderings, but the topic intrigues me greatly. Do demons really
exist? Are they denizens of hell, fallen angels? Extra/interdimensional
beings?

Everyone
has their own opinion, every religion their own belief. Naturally, I
can’t speak for everyone. So I will speak to you on different fronts
about demons and the various correlations they have with me. A tale of
obsession, A tale of lust, and perhaps a tale of truth and discovery...

Wednesday, April 3, 2013

*SPOILER ALERT: There is a Season 1 : Episode 1 Game of Thrones spoiler within. I couldn't find a way to make a Spoiler Button, so if yet to either read the first book or watch the first season, be warned!*

So,
I’ve spoken about the two most recent fiction projects I’m attempting
to tackle; one an adult-focused gritty sci-fi/post-apocalyptic story,
the other a fantasy/adventure fanfict.

Before
moving on to another fantasy/adventure project in the works, I thought
we would go to a lighter, fluffier place. Cute, playful, and...

Who
am I kidding? Today’s subject is a dark and vile thing. Darkness and
terror lurks within. Within the inner workings of Jed’s most deadly
assassin...

Tuesday, April 2, 2013

Day
2 and letter B is on the docket. Instead of one topic, I thought I
would highlight two. Supposedly there was an email sent out (before I
registered) expressing shorter blogs yielding a higher likelihood that
people will read the posts. It makes sense. Well, those that have been
following along from the beginning know that really isn’t my forte.

Monday, April 1, 2013

It’s April 1st and it appears this A to Z event isn’t some cruel April Fool’s joke...

So,
the challenge begins! I have no doubt this is going to drive me mad,
but felt it would be great practice and should open some doors to
connecting with fellow bloggers. I’m curious of how the appeal will be,
being I chose to focus on my journal/personal blog instead of my fiction
blog. I also passed on picking a specific theme; something that would
have heightened interest and made everything worlds easier.

With
no theme, the topics will be random. I do, however, plan to blog a
little about my writing projects intermittently. They will be sprinkled
throughout the chaos that is about to ensue.

As
a first time participant, I’m just going with the flow, all the while
attempting to avoid becoming completely frazzled. The concern of keeping
up with not only my own blog entries, but those of fellow bloggers, is a
real one. Knowing that others are diving head first into the same murky
waters, though, is comforting. At least I’m not alone.

Jak Stats

You may say I'm a dreamer...

I'm just a Dreamer who would love nothing more than to write for a living. Preferably fiction short stories/novels, but beggars can't be choosers, can they?

After coming off a 12 year writer's block in 2012 (Thanks to NaNoWriMo), I am attempting my hand at some blogging. The goal being to just remain consistent; to write a little each day, if possible. I post about one entry a week on each blog (1 journal based/1 fiction based/more to come).

Nothing published, just a jumbled concoction of ideas/themes/scenes/dreams that have existed in my head since being a kid. It would be nice to finally be able to pull them out, and make room for more.

So follow along, comment/discuss, share a tale or three. I am hoping to make new connections along this journey!